6 Tips For Elevating Your SEO Game In 2021 https://ift.tt/2OcbELu The rules of SEO are always changing, and what worked a couple years ago may not work today. If you’re looking for ways to take your SEO to the next level, here are some tips for the modern world. 1. Design for a mobile-first world. Did you know thatover 60% of U.S. search traffic is mobile? (That's according to Statista.) To adapt to this trend, Google switched to mobile-first indexing in 2020. It’s now the mobile version of your website, not the desktop version, that’s indexed. To optimize for mobile indexing, evaluate your mobile site for things like loading times and navigation. Also make sure the structural elements of your mobile site are identical to those of your desktop site. 2. Use keywords, but don’t “keyword-stuff.” The concept of keyword usage seems like it should be pretty simple, but in reality, just using a keyword isn’t always helpful. Repeating keywords too often will cause Google’s algorithm to penalize you for “keyword stuffing,” so you want to use keywords carefully. advertisement advertisement The solution is to only use keywords to the extent that it sounds natural. Where you put keywords matters, too. Keywords in meta information, titles, and subheadings carry more weight than keywords in the body text. 3. Target the answer box. When you type a question into a Google search, you sometimes see a box with a snippet of text answering the question. This is the answer box, and it’s becoming increasingly important. How do you land in this high-visibility box? Google’s algorithm populates it with text that directly answers a specific question. Write out the question you want to target in your content, and then provide an answer in a way that’s clear, concise, and accurate. 4. Relaunch old content. If you have blog articles or other pieces of content that did well a couple years ago, there’s a chance they could do well again. Look for relevant content published in the last few years. Add new links, remove old ones, update any outdated information, and hit publish. This gets valuable content in front of new readers and gives it an SEO boost. 5. Prepare for the core web vitals algorithm update. Google recently announced that its algorithm will soon consider factors it calls “core web vitals.” These are user experience factors that measure how easy it is for people to use and interact with your website. This update will roll out in May 2021, so now is the time to prepare for it. Google offers some developer tools that can help you understand what you need to update. 6. Focus on the user. You can follow every rule in the book, but at the end of the day, if your website doesn’t serve the user, your page won’t rank high. Google’s algorithm is designed to prioritize pages with the best user experience. If you can focus on this first, many aspects of SEO should fall into place as a result. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH March 30, 2021 at 08:44AM
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T-Mobile Shutting Down Its TVision Streamers After Just Five Months https://ift.tt/3czOSGu T-Mobile is killing its TVision Live and TVision Vibe streaming services just five months after launching them, and pivoting to new partnerships with YouTube TV and Philo. Both services will shut down on April 29, with YouTube TV now offered as a premium live service and Philo as a base live TV service, with special deals for T-Mobile customers. TVision Live offered three live bundles, starting at $40 per month. Vibe offered on-demand access to programming from Discovery, AMC, MTV and other networks for $10 per month. Also being phased out: TVision Channels, an aggregator for premium streaming service subscriptions. The TVision Hub 4K streaming device, also introduced last November 1, will still be available, however. Customers who subscribed to TVision Live, Vibe or both will now be eligible for a $10 discount on the monthly fees for YouTube TV (normally $64.99 per month) and/or Philo (normally $20 per month). advertisement advertisement TVision Live customers also qualify for a free month of YouTube TV and three free months of YouTube Premium (normally $11.99 per month). Current TVision Vibe customers qualify for a free month of Philo. The YouTube TV deal is part of a larger, expanded deal with Google to kick in later this year, in which T-Mobile will also use Google as the default rich messaging solution for customers with Android smartphones, promote Pixel and Android devices on T-Mobile’s 5G network, and use Google One as its preferred phone backup and cloud storage solution. In a blog post, T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert acknowledged that the swift demise of its homegrown streamers “may surprise some,” but “innovation seldom follows a straight line. Since launching the TVision initiative, we’ve learned a lot about the TV industry, about streaming products, and of course, about TV customers. We also saw trends that made us take a fresh look at how to best do in video what we always do: put customers first. With our TV software provider encountering some financial challenges [MobiTV filed for bankruptcy and announced a restricting plan earlier this month] and with our broader, strategic partnerships with Google and Philo, we saw an opportunity to deliver unique value to our customers and strengthen the TVision initiative with the best partners.” “This industry is incredibly fragmented, with new streaming services launching all the time, and we’ve concluded that we can add even more value to consumers’ TV choices by partnering with the best services out there, negotiating incredible streaming media deals for T-Mobile customers, and helping our customers navigate the increasingly complex streaming world,” Sievert added. “We’ve always seen video as a critical ‘door-opener’ for our forthcoming Home Internet business, because, even today at the peak of cord cutting and streaming, most homes still buy entertainment and internet connectivity together — and the #1 thing people stream on their home internet connection is video.” Sievert also positioned the change as “a big upgrade.” YouTube TV “offers more than twice as many channels as TVision Live, and Philo offers nearly twice as many channels as TVision Vibe,” he wrote. “Plus customers of both get unlimited DVR, can watch TV on more devices like Roku, Amazon Fire TV, or Chromecast, and more. And just like previous TVision offerings, customers get these new services with no cable box, no annual contracts, no exploding bills, and no hidden fees.” Last fall, in announcing the launch of T-Mobile’s streaming services and device, Sievert declared that “the Un-carrier” was striking a blow at “the Cableopoly, disrupting another broken industry by giving customers more choices at ultra-competitive prices… Just like we changed wireless for good, today we’re going to change TV for good.” During the short life of the streamers, some T-Mobile content partners — notably Discovery — raised objections about T-Mobile’s including their channels in the $10-per-month TVision Vibe package. how TVision packaged channels. T-Mobile addressed the problem by announcing that TVision Live customers would receive an additional 33 channels, with Vibe included, thus adding Discovery, AMC Networks and other channels to the basic package. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH March 30, 2021 at 07:11AM
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Creating B2B Podcasts That Rise Above The Noise https://ift.tt/3m2FRsR It’s never impressive to hear someone say they have a podcast. Making a podcast is easy! I have one that’s nearly a decade old and 400 episodes strong. The hard part is getting people to listen. My personal podcast has maybe 200 monthly listeners and brings in just enough in donations to pay for our web host. And at that, we have 198 more listeners than a lot of podcasts out there. The barrier to entry is low… but if you’re a B2B brand looking to engage with potential buyers, you’re going to want to aim higher. How do you make a B2B podcast that actually gets listened to? One that inspires people to subscribe and tell their friends about it? It’s simple: 1) Use everything you know about content marketing to create and promote it, and 2) Make sure it’s polished, professional, unique and engaging So simple! Here’s how to make a B2B podcast that rises above the noise. B2B Podcasting Tips for Creation, Promotion and BeyondIt’s tempting to jump into podcasting the easy way: Interview some employees and executives, record to an MP3, and post away. But creating a successful business podcast requires more strategy and production than your average hobbyist would do. #1: Create a Content StrategyYou wouldn’t write a single blog post without doing research and strategizing (right? Don’t tell me if you would). And that’s to say nothing of an entire series of blog posts that takes hours of time to write and edit. Finding the right subject matter and understanding your audience are fundamental, foundational layers for content marketing. The same due diligence that marketers do for content should apply to podcasting. Before you record a single word, you should know:
At the end of all that research, you should have a good idea of the topics to put in your podcast editorial calendar. As a bonus, when you create content around your podcast (more on that later), it will have all these keywords and topic clusters already built in. #2: Plan for PromotionPromoting a new podcast can be a substantial challenge. There are thousands of podcasts out there, and very little in the way of standardized search or SEO opportunities within the major podcast directories. You can start by making sure your podcast is listed on Google Podcasts, to show up in regular searches, but a lot of podcast promotion happens outside of the podcast itself. Cross-promotion is one way for your podcast to find listeners. Reach out to other podcasts in a similar niche and offer to swap guest spots to promote each other. Remember, podcasting is not a zero sum game; people who listen to one podcast are more likely, not less, to listen to more. Creating content around your podcast can boost visibility, too. Make each episode into a blog post with key takeaways and a full transcript. And, of course, include the podcast links in your social media and newsletter posts. Paid advertising is an essential component, too. You can advertise on podcasts with a similar audience, sponsor social media posts, and even experiment with paid search. Finally, don’t forget to market the podcast to your employees, too. Podcast directories use early listenership as a signal to make your podcast more visible. If you’re at an enterprise with thousands of employees, it should be easy to get enough critical mass to earn that extra boost. [bctt tweet="“Remember, podcasting is not a zero sum game; people who listen to one podcast are more likely, not less, to listen to more.” — Joshua Nite @NiteWrites" username="toprank"] #3: Make It ProfessionalPlenty of podcasts — including some extremely popular ones — are completely DIY. The exquisite Welcome to Nightvale, for example, started with one $80 microphone and free recording software. But for B2B, you’re not competing against those passion projects — your audience is likely used to professionally-packaged programs like All Things Considered and Radiolab. To make sure your podcast sounds professional, start with a modest investment in recording equipment. You don’t need a $1,500 microphone to record a podcast, but you do need something better than the built-in mic on a laptop. A couple of good-quality microphones and a simple mixing board should get you going for less than $500. If you plan to do remote interviews of guests, a tool like Zencastr can help you capture high-quality audio that’s not dependent on the speed of your internet connection. Instead of high-end audio equipment, save your budget for outsourcing post-production. Let a professional edit out the umms and ahhs, mitigate background noise, and properly level your audio. #4: Keep It InterestingNow let’s talk about the final touches that make a podcast engaging for your audience. This is where a little extra effort can really elevate the final product. First and foremost: EDIT. Editing is a gift that you give to your audience. It’s easy to have a 2-hour conversation with an influencer or executive, mix it down and upload it. But how much more powerful would a 20-30 minute highlight reel be? Judicious, merciless editing is a key component of a polished podcast. [bctt tweet="“It’s easy to have a 2-hour conversation, mix it down and upload it. But how much more powerful would a 20-30 minute highlight reel be? Judicious, merciless editing is a key component of a polished podcast.” — Joshua Nite @NiteWrites" username="toprank"] Even better, go beyond the simple interview format and think about a more topic-driven style. Rather than a single Q&A with one guest, capture audio from a few different experts on a topic (influencers, employees, customers) and weave them together with the help of an engaging host — more on that in a second. Listen to how it works in this episode of the SAP Tech Unknown podcast*: Did you notice the sound effects and music cues in that episode? If not, it’s worth a listen — you’ll hear everything from squawking seagulls to tractors and roosters. All of those sounds were created in post-production — but they all serve to bring the listener further into the narrative. Another key ingredient that you’ll hear in the podcast above is finding a charismatic, professional-sounding host. The right host can liven up potentially dull material, put your guests at ease, and steer conversations to interesting new places. Now, I’m not saying you need to hire a voiceover artist to be the host — in fact, you’re better off with an industry expert or someone in your organization. But make sure they have the gift of gab (Shoutout to the inimitable Tamara McCleary). Please Cast ResponsiblyThe barrier for entry to podcasting is low — but the barrier to creating a B2B podcast that people will listen to is a little higher. The first step is to make sure your podcast will have relevant, interesting, unique content for your audience. Then it’s important to strategize your creation and promotion plan to help your podcast find an audience. Finally, it’s taking the steps to make sure your podcast is edited and produced to be a lean, no-filler, immersive experience. Need help creating a memorable B2B podcast? Let’s talk. *SAP Is a TopRank Marketing client
The post Creating B2B Podcasts That Rise Above The Noise appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog - TopRank®. Mobile Marketing,SEO via Hubspot https://ift.tt/2wiHYzh March 30, 2021 at 05:36AM
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T-Mobile Shuts TVision, Cuts New Deals With YouTube TV, Philo https://ift.tt/3fqDq20 Five months into starting up new virtual pay TV service -- in an effort to offer a full service line of communications products -- T-Mobile is calling it quits. Its two TVision services — TVision Live and TVision Vibe — will shut down at the end of April -- in part, due to financial issues of its pay TV technology partner, MobiTV. It filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. At the same time, it has inked two virtual pay TV deals with independent pay TV providers -- YouTube TV and Philo -- to offer its customers a full lineup of communications services. Both deals will give what amounts to a $10 a month price break exclusively to T-Mobile customers. YouTube TV will be T-Mobile pricest option, now starting at $54.99/month (regularly $64.99/month). Philo is being offered as an entry-level/basic service, now $10/month (regularly $20.00/month). Launched last fall, TVision Live had a starting price of $40/month; TVision Vibe ran $10/month. A blog from Mike Sievert, president/CEO of T-Mobile on Monday, said changes needed to be made due to “some financial challenges” of MobiTV. advertisement advertisement In addition, Sievert noted the importance of offering video services to communications customers -- to complement mobile and broadband services -- as well as lessons learned. “We’ve always seen video as a critical ‘door-opener’ for our forthcoming home internet business, because, even today at the peak of cord-cutting and streaming, most homes still buy entertainment and internet connectivity together... I’m proud to run a business that is not afraid to learn, adapt and change.” T-Mobile isn’t the first communications to pull back from all-in ownership of live TV-video business. Last month, AT&T backed away from its video TV businesses when it struck a $7.8 billion deal with investment asset company TPG Capital to start a standalone video company, including DirecTV. AT&T will retain a majority 70% stake; TPG takes a 30% minority equity position. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH March 29, 2021 at 11:16PM How Much Broadband Service Is Enough? AT&T Exec Has Advice For Biden https://ift.tt/3dgaGWR It's not clear "whether we need to increase upload speeds to the same level as download speeds," says AT&T's Joan Marsh. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH March 29, 2021 at 05:53PM BrandTotal 'Recklessly' Built Data-Harvesting Business, Facebook Tells Court https://ift.tt/3rwI9kT Analytics company BrandTotal “recklessly built a business monetizing data it improperly harvested,” Facebook contends in new court papers. “To facilitate their data harvesting activities, BrandTotal developed, promoted, and distributed several browser extensions and mobile applications, all programmed and designed to automatically scrape user and advertising-related data (without Facebook’s permission) from Facebook and Instagram (and other sites) whenever a user visited those sites with a device on which one of BrandTotal’s apps or extensions had been installed,” Facebook writes in papers filed Friday with U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Spero in San Francisco. “To protect the privacy of user data and the security of its network, Facebook prohibits the collection of data using automated means and without permission,” the company writes. Facebook adds that advertising data is typically associated with “personal information” such as the advertiser's name (including first and last name, if the advertiser is a person), user's geographic data and “non-public user information associated with other users' interactions with those ads.” advertisement advertisement “Scraping that information can make it vulnerable to exploitation and can burden Facebook’s networks,” Facebook writes. Facebook's new papers come in a legal battle with BrandTotal dating to last September, when Facebook took steps to ban BrandTotal's UpVoice browser extension from the platform, and asked Google to remove UpVoice from the Chrome Web Store. At around the same time, Facebook alleged in a lawsuit against BrandTotal that its UpVoice extension -- which enables data collection -- violated the social networking platform's terms of service as well as a federal anti-hacking law. BrandTotal, which says it compensates users who install UpVoice countered that Facebook engaged in unfair competition and interfered with BrandTotal's contracts. The analytics company sought a temporary restraining order requiring Facebook to stop blocking BrandTotal, and to rescind the takedown notice sent to Google. Spero denied BrandTotal's request for a restraining order last year, and dismissed BrandTotal's counterclaims in February. But the judge allowed BrandTotal to redraft its claims and try again. Two weeks ago, BrandTotal amended its counterclaims and renewed its request for an injunction. Facebook is now urging Spero to dismiss those amended counterclaims. Among other arguments, company says its moves against BrandTotal were justified. “BrandTotal has scraped user information for years using various apps and extensions,” Facebook writes. “This kind of abuse, much less persistent violations of Facebook terms, requires enforcement because it can put associated user information at risk, undermine advertisers’ expectations of control over their own data, and risk overburdening the Facebook networks.” Last month, BrandTotal released “UpVoice 2021,” a new version of its data-collection tool that, according to the company, only gathers information about ad viewership, and not demographic data. BrandTotal CEO Alon Leibovich stated Monday, “Startups like BrandTotal shouldn't live in fear of big tech and should be free to innovate and develop their technology.” Spero is expected hold a hearing in the case on May 14. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH March 29, 2021 at 05:27PM
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Volkswagen Aims To Change The World https://ift.tt/39npoKM Volkswagen is launching a campaign tonight for its ID.4 that shows how electric vehicles will change the world, but first, the world of the owner. Under the theme of “Before it can change the world, it has to change yours,” the spots show the versatility of the ID.4 and how EV adoption can change so much, starting at the individual level. The creative, from agency Johannes Leonardo, aims to be “witty and relatable,” according to the automaker. It highlights a wide range of people living with and experiencing the benefits of EV ownership through real-world scenarios. It communicates the life-improving opportunities that owning an ID.4 can bring, both to individual drivers and beyond. Viewers are introduced to specific benefits and differences of the ID.4 that are not apparent at first glance. Highlighted features, like voice-activated climate control, speak to the usability and personal connection beyond the driver, while home charging and talk of life before EVs showcase the potential shift that e-mobility can bring, like “changing the world as you sleep” (via charging the battery) and no longer having to fear running out of gas. advertisement advertisement The campaign focuses on the “incredible potential” the SUV has to make electrification relevant for all, says Kimberley Gardiner, senior vice president, Volkswagen brand marketing. “As more people realize the benefits that come with owning the ID.4, the more elements of EV democratization can become reality,” Gardiner says in a release. The 2021 ID.4 Pro is available for reservation, with the rear-wheel-drive ID.4 Pro starting at $39,995, before a potential federal tax credit of up to $7,500. The limited-run ID.4 first edition, which sold out the day the vehicle was launched, started at $43,995. A more powerful all-wheel-drive version will follow later in the year. Three spots will make their television debut tonight, as well as on digital and social channels and include “Adventure Lifestyle,” “Tech Upgrade” and “Better For Your Family.” The tagline is “the first electric SUV for everyone.” The ID.4 aims to be “the electric car for the people, offering a more approachable campaign from how other EVs have traditionally been positioned,” per the agency. It is positioned as a lifestyle upgrade — not just something for people who are eco-conscious or status-obsessed. The car is not trying to chase the early adopter, but rather to broaden the appeal of electric. The change to electric is not served up as something that one "ought" to do, but instead something one will want to do. The spots “celebrate humanity and the real emotion of the everyday while treating the viewer as an intelligent friend along for the ride,” per the agency. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH March 29, 2021 at 03:51PM 5 Way To Tell If Your Website Works https://ift.tt/3w8p9Ne Aside from the obvious indicators of a bad website, such as only having a single landing page, bad copy, or poor visuals, here are ways to determine if your website is truly the best it should be, both for your business and your users. Site speed & page speed. Site speed refers to the speed at which the entire site loads as a user maneuvers from page to page. As you know, most users will not wait for a page to load. For this reason, the average website is now expected to load within one to two seconds. Evaluating and maintaining site and page speeds is essential in organic rankings, user experience(UX), and ultimately, conversions. These attributes can be slowed down due to unnecessary or unused scripts, improper caching, improper sizing of site-wide assets, and even too many https requests. Page speed refers to the speed at which a specific page loads. Unlike site speed, when testing page speed you focus on optimization of that specific page through things like image size, unused scripts, too many images, and even unused pixels. Both site speed and page speed can be tested using a free tool such as GTmetrix. advertisement advertisement Is it mobile-friendly? While this one is obvious, its importance must be stressed. If you have a website in 2021 and have not incorporated a mobile-friendly build into the design, you will not have much luck obtaining any desired traffic from search engines. When building a website, the entire site has to have a mobile responsive design, which adapts to every screen size, incorporated into the site. To test whether or not you have a mobile-friendly website by Google’s standards, simple input a page URL here. User experience (UX). In addition to slow site and page speeds, a poor user experience can include everything from tacky stock photos to a navigation menu that is difficult to follow. Once a user lands on any one of the pages on your website, the path forward should look and feel seamless. To aid user experience, ensure you have a clearly identified navigation menu, easy to digest content throughout the site, a mobile-friendly site, and unobtrusive pop-ups. Clear call-to-action. What is your goal for the entire site, along with the specific page where the user has landed? These are the questions you should be asking yourself when designing your website. Without a clear call to action, your users will not understand their own journey on your site, let alone the end purpose. Website users need guidance on where to go next and what to do. Without this, chances are, they won’t keep clicking. On-site optimization. Optimization of a website and specific pages on that site assists search engines in identifying the information on a page, while providing users with clear information on what the page is about. How search engines interpret the content on a page and how users interact with that page go hand in hand. The more users that visit a page, the more the search engines identify this page as having “authority” over other pages on the same topic. This results in a higher organic placement. In order to determine whether your pages and website as a whole have proper onsite optimization, use a free tool such as MOZ or Ahrefs. These tools give you a snapshot of webpage performance, keyword rankings, and much more. Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH March 29, 2021 at 01:12PM Roku Dominates CTV Ad Views In Second Half 2020 https://ift.tt/2QSdVMV Though they are neck and neck in terms of U.S. monthly active connected TV accounts of around 50 million, Roku dominates Amazon Fire TV in terms of premium video advertising views, according to a report from FreeWheel, Comcast’s ad tech company. Roku commanded a 43% share of premium video ad views in the second half of 2020, with Amazon Fire TV at 29%. Roku is projected to pull in $566 million in video advertising dollars, rising to $902 million in 2021, according to MoffettNathanson Research. Roku and Amazon command 72% of all CTV ad views. Further down the list in term of premium video ad share: all-gaming consoles, 8%; smart TV platforms, 7%; Google’s Chromecast, 7%; and others, 6%. Smart TV platforms grew 5% year over year. Last year, programmatic transactions had 24% share when it comes to premium video views. Looking at all premium digital video content, there was a 57% growth in the number of advertising views in the second half of 2020 versus the same time period in 2019. In terms of premium video ad views by device, CTV has a 62% share; desktop, 16%; set top box, 14%; and mobile 8%. Analysis by platform saw 37% come from a streaming service; 25% from a traditional MVPD (multichannel video program distributor) and 8% from a vMVPD (virtual multichannel video program distributor). advertisement advertisement Mobile Marketing via MediaPost.com: mobile https://ift.tt/2oB2PsH March 29, 2021 at 10:39AM
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Brandfluence – Why Growing Executive Influence is Essential for B2B Marketing https://ift.tt/31qRLTV The post Brandfluence – Why Growing Executive Influence is Essential for B2B Marketing appeared first on B2B Marketing Blog - TopRank®. Mobile Marketing,SEO via Hubspot https://ift.tt/2wiHYzh March 29, 2021 at 07:40AM |
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